NEWBURYPORT, MASS. (WHDH) - Residents are calling on law enforcement to increase patrols at Plum Island Beach off Newburyport after videos showing the beach covered in garbage went viral online.
Rory Nolan said he spent three-and-a-half hours on the beach Monday, picking up enough trash to fill 10 industrial-sized trash bags. He said he was still picking up broken glass and cans from the sand on Wednesday.
“Something like this will slice you right open. You are not having a good day at the beach if this goes in your foot,” Nolan said. “Kids are running through there, dogs running through there, would easily cut yourself with all the glass that is down there.”
Nolan said two videos posted to TikTok drew him to the beach. They now have more than 55,000 views, showing the heaps of garbage left behind following a weekend party on the sand.
Megan Johnson posted the videos after she said she contacted police and the harbormaster about the trash.
“I posted it for the awareness after I started contacing the harbormaster and the police department about it, I felt like I wasn’t getting a resolution. It’s gone viral, I want to spread awareness about how important it is to clean up the beach,” Johnson said.
Nolan said the parties on the beach have become more frequent this summer, and he is calling for more patrols at night so the beach remains clean.
“If there was way to stop such a large gathering from occurring in the first place, I think that would solve issues of safety and destruction of the environment,” Nolan said.
7NEWS reached out to the police department for comment, but has not yet heard back.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)